This plugin is a must-have for:
From Flat to 3D in One Click. Extrude by Plugin Everything gives you true geometric depth, bevels, and lighting for Shape Layers & Text—entirely within After Effects.
Plugin Everything is a high-performance tool for Adobe After Effects that streamlines the creation of 3D depth from 2D layers. It allows motion designers to transform live text, shape layers, and mask paths into complex extrusions without the performance overhead or feature limitations typically associated with the native Cinema 4D renderer. Core Functionality and Modes
The plugin provides three distinct extrusion types to suit different visual styles: Directional Extrusion
: Projects the depth in a specific 2D direction, ideal for "long shadow" or flat-design aesthetics. Vanishing Extrusion
: Converges the extrusion toward a single point, creating a classic perspective look. 3D Extrusion : Fully integrates with native After Effects cameras
, allowing the depth to react realistically as the camera moves through the scene. Key Features and Performance
Extrude is designed for modern workflows, emphasizing speed and visual fidelity through several advanced technical features: GPU Acceleration & MFR Support : The plugin is GPU accelerated and compatible with Multi-Frame Rendering (MFR)
, ensuring fast previews and final renders even on complex projects. Live Text Integration
: Unlike many scripts that require converting text to shapes, this plugin works with live text layers
. You can update the font, characters, or text animators in real-time, and the extrusion will automatically follow. Shading & Color Control : It includes a built-in gradient color wheel editor Plugin Everything - Extrude for After Effects F...
, allowing for sophisticated solid or gradient shading to define the sides of the extrusion. Inner Extrusion
: A unique feature that allows users to transition between a standard outer extrusion and an "inner" effect, adding internal depth to objects. Handling Complexity
: It features robust anti-aliasing and a "path-first" approach that handles intersecting or overlapping paths smoothly without visual artifacts. Workflow Advantages For most users, the primary draw of
is its ability to bypass the "C4D Renderer" in After Effects, which often disables essential features like blending modes, track mattes, and layer styles. Because this plugin operates as a standard effect, you can maintain your full AE toolkit while adding professional-grade 3D depth. You can find more information or purchase the tool on aescripts + aeplugins or directly from the Plugin Everything website on how to animate a text logo using its 3D camera mode Extrude Plugin for After Effects - Available Now
Extrude by Plugin Everything is a dedicated GPU-accelerated plugin for After Effects that transforms 2D layers into complex 3D extrusions with a single click. Unlike native After Effects "Cinema 4D" rendering which can be slow and restrictive, Extrude works as a standard effect on 2D layers, maintaining support for blending modes and other standard 2D effects. Core Extrusion Modes
The plugin offers three distinct ways to handle perspective and depth:
Directional: Creates a classic parallel extrusion (like a long shadow but solid) at a specific angle and length.
Vanishing: Extrudes toward a specific vanishing point, creating a sense of depth focused on a central coordinate.
3D Camera: Fully compatible with native After Effects cameras, allowing the extrusion to respond accurately as you move the camera through 3D space. Advanced Feature Set
Live Layer Support: Works directly on Live Text, Shape Layers, and Mask Paths without needing to convert them to another format first. This plugin is a must-have for:
Inner Extrusion: Unique ability to seamlessly transition between standard outer extrusion and "inner" extrusion for hollow or inset looks.
Intuitive Shading: Features a built-in radial gradient editor supporting up to 32 colors to create complex lighting and metallic textures.
Handling "Cursed" Fonts: Built to handle self-intersecting paths and overlapping curves that typically break standard extrusion tools.
Animation Compatibility: Supports After Effects' native text animators (tracking, line spacing, character offset) and path-aligned text.
Performance: Optimized for Multi-Frame Rendering (MFR) and Apple Silicon, utilizing GPU acceleration for real-time feedback. Technical Limitations
Motion Blur: Does not generate native motion blur; it requires a post-process effect like CC Force Motion Blur .
Depth of Field: While compatible with 3D cameras, the plugin does not natively render lens-based depth of field blurring.
Shape Primitives: Parametric shapes (like the Rectangle tool) must be converted to Bezier Paths before they can be extruded.
You can find more details and purchase the plugin on the official Plugin Everything site or through aescripts.com. Extrude — Plugin Everything
In simple terms, Extrude is a plugin that converts any 2D shape layer, text layer, or mask path into a true, controllable 3D mesh directly inside After Effects. It does this using GPU acceleration, meaning it leverages your graphics card rather than your CPU, resulting in near-instant feedback. From Flat to 3D in One Click
Unlike other extrusion tools that open a separate window or require exporting to a different app, Extrude lives inside the AE effect stack. You apply it to a layer, and that layer becomes 3D.
1. Bevels and Custom Shapes One of the standout features of Extrude is its ability to apply bevels. A standard flat extrusion often looks computer-generated and cheap. By adding a bevel (a rounded or chiseled edge), the object catches light more naturally, giving it a premium, realistic weight. Users can choose from preset bevel styles or create custom shape paths to define the edge of their 3D object.
2. Advanced Material Options To sell the 3D effect, lighting is paramount. Extrude provides controls for diffuse, specular, and reflection shading. This allows the user to determine how "shiny" or "matte" the object appears. When combined with After Effects' native lights, the plugin can produce dramatic shadows and highlights that integrate seamlessly into a composition.
3. Grouping and Instancing For complex logos or multi-line text, Extrude handles grouping intelligently. It allows users to extrude groups of shape paths as a single unit or separate them, providing flexibility when animating. Furthermore, because it utilizes After Effects' native 3D layers, the extruded object can interact with other layers, accepting cast shadows and reflecting environment maps.
The primary selling point of Extrude is speed and iteration. In a professional motion design workflow, deadlines are tight. If a client requests a font change on a 3D logo, using the native Cinema 4D renderer or exporting to external software (like Blender or Cinema 4D Lite) can be time-consuming.
With Extrude, the text remains a live, editable text layer. If you change the wording or the font, the 3D extrusion updates instantly. This parametric workflow allows designers to stay in the creative flow, making rapid adjustments without breaking their pipeline.
Let's talk about numbers. On a modern machine with a dedicated GPU (NVIDIA RTX 3060 or higher), Extrude renders complex extrusions in milliseconds.
Where the native "Ray-Traced 3D" renderer might take 8 seconds per frame to render a complex logo, Plugin Everything Extrude renders that same frame in 0.2 seconds.
Why? Because Extrude utilizes rasterization (the same tech video games use) rather than ray-tracing (the tech Hollywood uses). For 99% of motion graphics—explainer videos, lower thirds, logo stings, UI animations—rasterized 3D is visually indistinguishable from ray-traced 3D, but it renders in real-time.